Increasing life skills education and leadership excellence for youth and families
Developing Leadership, Volunteers, and Life Skills
Cabrina Buckman, Dennis Morgeson, Melissa Schenck, Laura Milburn, SNAP-Ed
Community Leadership Development
21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)
Results from the 2019 Kentucky Extension Community Assessment identified the following as top community issues: providing more youth life-skills training, better youth and adult career readiness, and more qualified leaders to prepare community for the future. Advisory councils contributed to this assessment.
Participants of leadership programs will serve as volunteer leaders and/or mentors to others.
Clientele will gain and maintain employment through life skill development.
Families and individuals will make responsible and productive life choices that will contribute to home and community.
Participants will collaborate with coalitions, councils, programs, and other leaders.
Clientele will set and achieve goals through Extension programming.
Extension participants will apply skills learned through Extension programming at home, work, and in their community.
Develop adequate perceptions of leadership due to training opportunities for organizational and community leaders
Clientele will develop an understanding of goal setting
Participants will acquire decision making skills and gain an appreciation for civic engagement
Initial Outcome: Develop adequate perceptions of leadership due to training opportunities for organizational and community leaders
Indicator: Teen Leadership participants will apply lessons in leadership through completing assignments in the program
Method: verbal presentation
Timeline: spring
Intermediate Outcome: Participants will collaborate with coalitions, councils, programs, and other leaders.
Indicator: Participation on advisory councils and in programs
Method: sign in sheets and leader trainings
Timeline: throughout the year
Long-term Outcome: Participants of leadership programs will serve as volunteer leaders and/or mentors to others.
Indicator: return of program alumni to facilitate program
Method: observation
Timeline: continuous
Audience: youth and adult Extension clientele
Project or Activity: Talk Meet, 4-H clothing and food projects, money management classes, meal planning and preparation lessons, safety programming, 4-H Teen Programming, horticulture programming
Content or Curriculum: Extension curriculum
Inputs: Extension resources, community partners, volunteers, and participants
Date: continuous throughout FY 2022
Audience: 7th grade students, high school juniors and seniors, council and board members, community participants
Project or Activity: Junior Leadership, Teen Leadership, Master Gardeners, Homemakers, 4-H Council, Agriculture Development Board, WC Cattlemen's Association, Washington on Wellness Coalition
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Core Curriculum, Positive Employability Curriculum, other Extension curriculum
Inputs: Extension resources and specialists, community and civic organizations
Date: annual programming that will be offered continuously throughout FY 2022
Author: Melissa Schenck
Major Program: Natural Resources
After sacrificing their 2020 State Shoot to Covid-19 protocols, the Washington County 4-H was ready to compete against their peers across the state. In September, 20 4-H members representing Washington County traveled to compete in the State 4-H Shooting Sports competition. For 50% of our participants, this was their first State Shoot and their first state-wide experience with Kentucky 4-H. The team would go on to bring many ribbons and trophies home including a 2nd place trophy for a first year
Author: Melissa Schenck
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
After two years of limited in-person interaction the desire was high for interactive, hands-on programing for youth. While the impact of social isolation on youth is still being studied, many teachers have expressed concerns about delayed social development. In an effort to be proactive, the Washington County 4-H Advisory Council requested a series of day camps through the 2022 program year. The first in effort was titled Handmade Holli-Day-Camp and focused on crafts to celebrate the Holiday sea
Author: Cabrina Buckman
Major Program: Community Leadership Development
Teen Leadership Washington County is an annual program for high school juniors that focuses on leadership and personal development, career opportunities, and learning about the community. The Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, 4-H Youth Development Agent, and School Gifted and Talented Coordinator partner to plan and implement monthly meetings to cover topics like financial management, business and industry, agriculture and more. To help the teens learn more about the inner workings
Author: Melissa Schenck
Major Program: Leadership
Kentucky 4-H aims to engage youth through hands-on experiences where they can build leadership competencies at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. The Kentucky 4-H teen leadership program provides opportunities for senior level 4-H’ers to build upon their leadership skills in the core area of their interest at the advanced level. Our goal is to encourage youth to progress through leadership experiences, gaining skills for life. The skills gained through the Kentucky 4-H l
Author: James Morgeson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Since the pandemic there has been an increase in interest in Washington County on developing life skills that may have been forgotten in our current world. One such request was a workshop on how to grow corn and mill it at home. During the workshop we discussed corn variety selection for meal corn, how to grow it, details on harvesting, drying, and storage as well. There was hands on grinding and sifting sessions and how to make and fry cornbread.A survey of participants was conducted and 80% st
Author: Melissa Schenck
Major Program: Leadership
The 98th Annual Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference was held at the University of Kentucky June 14-17, 2022. The objectives of Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference are: develop leadership and teamwork skills, improve communication skills, foster civic engagement, expand knowledge and skills related to 4-H core content areas, gain club, county and state 4-H program skills, have fun, create a sense of belonging, expand social skills through networking, develop youth-adult partnerships, and become acquainted with